Milking Cluster and Milking Parlor Having Such a Milking Cluster

ABSTRACT

A milking cluster for a milking parlour for milking milk-giving animals, having at least one teat cup unit having a housing, a teat cup, a drive appliance, a pulling element arrangement connected to the teat cup, and the pulling element arrangement has a segment unit having at least two pulling elements.

FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a milking cluster and a milking parlor havingsuch a milking cluster, for the automatic milking of milk-producinganimals.

Document EP 0 647 390 B1 describes a structure for the automatic milkingof animals and a displaceable cup covering means which, prior to apositioning operation of the milking cup, which is also called the teatcup, is displaced onto a teat of an udder of an animal to be milked and,after the milking operation, is displaced over all the teat cups. Allthe teat cups are covered together. Thus, during a positioningoperation, the teat cups that are not yet positioned are open. Thisapplies during the entire milking sequence if the animal does not havefour teats (also referred to as a “three-point” udder). If one or morecups are removed from the teat when the milk flow is exhausted, whilstothers are still in the milking position, said milking cups are also notprotected for this period. An additional actuator is necessary toactuate the cup covering. The teat cups are connected to a pullingelement arrangement, by means of which they are pulled against a holderand are fixed there.

EP 0 862 360 B1 describes a protective device as a part of a robot arm,beneath which the teat cups are arranged so as to be movable. Thestructure, however, is expensive, as additional tilt apparatuses andactuators are necessary for each milking cup.

Against this background, the object of the invention consists inproviding an improved arrangement as well as a milking parlor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The arrangement includes a milking cluster for a milking parlor for themilking of milk-producing animals, said milking cluster having at leastone teat cup unit with a housing, a teat cup, a drive device and apulling element arrangement which is connected to the teat cup, whereinthe pulling element arrangement has a segment unit with at least twopulling elements.

The at least one teat cup unit can be movable out of a park position inwhich the teat cup assumes a position which is inclined with respect tothe perpendicular, e.g. an almost horizontal position, into apositioning position in which the teat cup is in almost perpendicularposition, into a milking position in which the teat cup is connected toan associated teat of the animal to be milked, and back again.

As an alternative to this, the at least one teat cup unit can be movableout of a park position into a positioning position in which the teat cupis in an almost perpendicular position, into a milking position in whichthe teat cup is connected to an associated teat of the animal to bemilked, and back again.

The milking cluster can be moved, for example, by a robot arm in such amanner that the teat cups are moved individually out of a park positioninto a positioning position and in a milking position are suspended fromthe corresponding teats of the animal to be milked and at the end of themilking operation are removed from the teats, wherein they are firstlymoved back into the positioning position and then into the parkposition.

Each teat cup is able to be moved separately into its park position, noadditional actuator is necessary.

Contamination of the teat cups is effectively prevented by means of thepark position of the same.

Teat cups that are trailing or have fallen out of line or even fallenoff can be moved back immediately into the park position andconsequently do not fall onto the ground and become contaminated.

The risk of pulling elements becoming fouled up is minimized in aconsiderable manner as said pulling elements are situated inside asegment unit.

A simple design without guides and rollers makes a simple service andconsequently cost savings possible.

In one design, the segment unit can have a fixing device, a tiltsegment, at least one intermediate segment and a fixing segment, whereinthe fixing device is fixedly connected to the teat cup and the fixingsegment is fixedly connected to the housing. A flexibility and mobilityof the teat cup is achieved by means of individual segments when thepulling element arrangement is loosened or slackened. Only a smalllength of the pulling elements to be exposed is necessary, e.g. 60 mmcompared to 220 mm in the prior art.

The fixing device can have an inclined tilt portion, and the tiltsegment can have an inclined contact portion which corresponds to theinclined tilt portion.

Consequently, it is possible to pivot and position the park position ina manner that can be fixed beforehand.

The at least two pulling elements of the pulling element arrangement arearranged one above the other.

Thus, a narrow and sturdy segment unit is achieved when it is fixed.

In one design, the at least two pulling elements of the pulling elementarrangement can be connected to a tilt lever which is operativelyconnected to the drive device and a tilt drive. Consequently, by meansof two pulling elements the teat cup can not only be fixed but alsopivoted into the park position.

The tilt lever can be movable by means of the drive device into a firstposition in which the at least two pulling elements are tensioned,wherein the segment unit, contracted, is engaged and the at least oneteat cup is in the positioning position, and the tilt lever can bemovable by means of the drive device into a second position in which theat least two pulling elements are slackened, wherein the at least oneteat cup assumes the milking position.

For this purpose, in its first position the tilt lever can be pivotableby means of the tilt drive about a tilt axis into a pivot position inwhich a pulling element of the at least two pulling elements isshortened and the other is lengthened, wherein the inclined tilt portionof the fixing device and the inclined contact portion of the tiltsegment are engaged and the at least one teat cup is pivoted into thepark position.

In an alternative design, the segment unit can have a fixing device, acover segment, at least one intermediate segment and a fixing segment,wherein the fixing device is fixedly connected to the teat cup and thefixing segment is fixedly connected to the housing. As a result, eachteat cup can be covered separately. No additional drives are necessary.

The cover segment can be fixedly connected to a cover. Simpleintegration of the cover in the segment unit is possible in this manner.

The covering is effected by, in the park position, a head with a teatopening of the at least one teat cup being covered by a cover cap of thecover of the cover segment. The cover pivots automatically over the teatcup when said teat cup assumes the park position and releases itautomatically when the park position is relinquished. To this end, thecover segment can be connected to the teat cup by means of at least oneentrainment means with axial mobility. The axial mobility makes itpossible for the teat cup and the cove segment to achieve differentpositions with respect to one another in the park position, as a resultof which the cover is able to pivot over the teat cup and cover it.

A carrier piece, on which at least one of the intermediate segmentsrests, can be arranged beneath the fixing segment on the housing. Theachievement of this is that the teat cup does not rest on the ground inthe park position, i.e. does not hang down too low and can touch theground, as a result of which further contamination and sucking in ofdirt is prevented.

The at least two pulling elements of the pulling element arrangement canbe arranged side by side in said alternative design. This produces asturdy position in a fixed position.

The at least two pulling elements of the pulling element arrangement areoperatively connected to a drive device, it being possible to usecylinders with a small stroke and diameter.

A compact design of the entire milking cluster is produced, as a resultof which a large degree of mobility and additional installation spaceare created on the milking cluster for additional devices, such as, forexample, positioning and recognition systems (camera).

It is provided that the at least two pulling elements are movable bymeans of the drive device into a first position in which they aretensioned, wherein the segment unit, contracted, is engaged and the atleast one teat cup is in the positioning position, and that the at leasttwo pulling elements are movable by means of the drive device into asecond position in which they are slackened, wherein the at least oneteat cup is moved by means of its gravitational force into the parkposition or assumes the milking position.

In a further alternative design, the segment unit can have a fixingdevice, at least one intermediate segment and a fixing segment, whereinthe fixing device is fixedly connected to the teat cup and the fixingsegment is fixedly connected to the housing.

A milking parlor for milking milk-producing animals can be provided withthe above-described milking cluster.

In this case, the milking cluster can be attached on a support armdevice or a robot arm.

In further designs, said milking cluster is attached in a flexiblemanner to the support arm device or the robot arm. This can be effected,for example, by means of a coupling element which has elastic andflexible characteristics. Said characteristics can be present materiallyin said part or can be formed by a resilient structure of the couplingelement. This enables an elastic resilience between the milking clusterand the support arm device or robot arm. This reduces both damage to themilking cluster and the support arm device or to the robot arm and alsothe risk of injury to the animals to be milked, e.g. if said animalskick.

In this connection it must be considered that, for example, an averageGerman milking cow weighs approximately 650 kg.

A method for positioning an above-described milking cluster ischaracterized in that during an operation for positioning the teat cupsonto the teats of an udder of an animal to be milked, at the start ofmoving the milking cluster perpendicularly upright in the direction ofthe udder, the teat cups which are not positioned are taken out of theirpositioning position and moved into the park position.

In addition, it is possible for teat cups which are already in themilking position to be able to be laterally mobile without exertingdisruptive pulling forces on said teat cups which are in the milkingposition.

Through the separate mobility of the teat cup units, the milking clustercan also be used for milk-producing animals with udders with four oreven three teats.

A high level of robustness is achieved for when kicks are directed atthe teat cups the segments yield and then are automatically refixed.

Advantageous further developments and developments of the milkingcluster or of the milking parlor are the object of the respectivedependent claims.

Further advantages and details proceed from the exemplary embodimentsshown in the figures of the drawing, in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective representation of a milking parlor as claimedin the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a first exemplary embodiment of a milkingcluster as claimed in the invention with teat cup units in thepositioning and park position;

FIG. 3 shows a top view of the milking cluster according to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of a teat cup unit of the milking clusteraccording to FIG. 2 in the park position;

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the teat cup unit according to FIG. 4 in themilking position;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the teat cup unit according to FIG. 4 in thepositioning position;

FIG. 7 shows a schematic perspective view of a second exemplaryembodiment of the milking cluster;

FIGS. 8, 8 a and 8 b show schematic views of the second exemplaryembodiment according to FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 shows a schematic longitudinal sectional view along the line IXfrom FIG. 8 b;

FIG. 9 a shows a further schematic longitudinal sectional view along theline IX from FIG. 8 b with a variation in the second exemplaryembodiment according to FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 shows an enlarged sectional view of the region X from FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 shows a schematic longitudinal sectional view along the line XIfrom FIG. 8 b;

FIG. 12 shows an enlarged sectional view of the region XI from FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 shows a schematic perspective view of a cover segment of thesecond exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 7;

FIG. 14 shows a schematic perspective view of the second exemplaryembodiment according to FIG. 7 in the milking parlor according to FIG.1; and

FIG. 15 shows a schematic perspective view of a third exemplaryembodiment of the milking cluster.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Identical or similar function elements are provided with the identicalreferences in the figures.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective representation of a milking parlor 1 with amilking cluster 2 and a carrier 3. The milking cluster 2, in this case,is attached on the carrier of a support arm device (not shown in anymore detail) which is actuatable automatically or by means of a robot(not shown) for assuming different positions for milking and foradjusting different positions of teat cup units of the milking cluster2. Several such milking parlors 1 can be arranged in a row and operatedby one single robot.

The milking cluster 2 can also be mounted on a robot arm.

The function of the support arm device is to carry the milking cluster 2so that the weight is balanced and so that it is so smooth running thatthe carrier 3 follows the movements of the animal to be milked.

If the milking cluster 2 is fastened on such a support arm device, arobot arm is docked onto the support arm device for positioning the teatcup units 4 automatically, which will be described in more detail below.The robot arm moves the support arm device or the carrier 3 togetherwith milking cluster 2 to the teats of the animal to be milked andpositions the teat cups 4 one after another on the associated teats. Tothis end, the teat cups 4 are moved out of a park position in which theyare substantially horizontal or are in a position which is inclined withrespect to the perpendicular, first of all into a positioning positionin which they are substantially perpendicular. The teat cups 4 cannaturally also be in a position which is inclined with respect to theperpendicular in the park position.

As soon as all the teats are positioned in a so-called milking position,the robot arm is detached from the carrier 3 and, where applicable,moves to the next milking parlor location in order to position the teatcups 4 there. During the milking phase, the teat cups 4 are suspendedwith the milking cluster 2 from the carrier 3 which follows themovements of the animal. As soon as the milk flow of one teat isexhausted, the corresponding teat cup 4 is removed from the teat intothe positioning position and, to protect against the ingress of dirt, ismoved into the park position. The three different positions will beexplained in more detail below. As soon as all the teat cups have beenremoved and are in the park position, the carrier 3 pivots with themilking cluster 2 from the position under the animal into the positionnext to the animal such that the animal is able to leave the milkinglocation.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a first exemplary embodiment of a milkingcluster 1 as claimed in the invention with teat cup units 10, 10′ in thepositioning and park position. FIG. 3 shows a top view of the milkingcluster 2 according to FIG. 2.

In this case, two front teat cup units 10′ are shown in the positioningposition and two rear teat cup units 10 are shown in the park position.Normally, only one teat cup unit 10′ is in the positioning position,FIGS. 2 and 3 are only to emphasize the difference.

The milking cluster 2, in this exemplary embodiment, has four teat cupunits 10, 10′ which are arranged side by side in their longitudinaldirections and in each case have a housing 9. Each of the four teat cupunits 10, 10′ is able to assume one of the three different positions(park position, positioning position and milking position) independentlyof the others.

For better clarity, FIGS. 2 and 3 show two of the four teat cup units10, 10′ in the park position (see FIG. 4) and two in the perpendicularpositioning position (see FIG. 6). In the park position, the respectiveteat cup unit 10 is non-used and is pivoted out of the upright positioninto the horizontal or into a position which is inclined with respect tothe perpendicular. The third position is the milking position which isshown in FIG. 5. To differentiate better, the teat cup unit 10 in thepark position is provided with the reference 10, in the positioningposition the reference 10′ and in the milking position the reference10″.

Each teat cup unit 10 has a teat cup 4 with a teat rubber which has ahead 5 and a shaft, a coupling portion 6 and a connection portion 7. Thehead 5 has a teat opening (see FIG. 3) for the insertion of a teat (notshown). The coupling portion 6 and the connection portion 7, which isconnected to a hose unit 8 for vacuum application and milk suction, isarranged at a spacing from the head 5 on the bottom end of the shaft.

The coupling section 6 is connected to a pulling element arrangement.The pulling element arrangement includes a segment unit 11 which has inits interior two pulling elements 16, 17 which are arranged one abovethe other and will be described in more detail in conjunction with FIG.4.

The carrier 3 is provided with a fastening arm 3 a for fastening on asupport arm device or robot arm device (not shown).

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the teat cup unit 10 of the milking clusteraccording to FIG. 2 in the park position. FIG. 5 shows a side view ofthe teat cup unit 10 according to FIG. 4 in the milking position andFIG. 6 illustrates a side view of the teat cup unit 10 according to FIG.4 in the positioning position. The housing 9 is shown open at the side.

The connection portion 6 of the teat cup 4 has a fixing device 12 whichis provided to cooperate with a corresponding tilt segment 13 of thesegment unit 11. The fixing device 12 has a fixing portion 12 a which isarranged in the interior of the fixing device 12 both at the bottom andat the top in a tilt portion 12 b running around on the inner edgesthereof.

The tilt portion 12 b is beveled, a bevel angle being for instance 45°and influencing the tilted or pivoted park position of the teat cup 4 incooperation with a corresponding upper contact portion 13 b of the tiltsegment 13.

The segment unit 11 has several intermediate segments 14 which arearranged between the tilt segment 13 and a fixing segment 15 which isattached on the housing 9. All the segments 13 and 14 have acircumferential fixing portion 13 c and 14 c (see FIG. 5). Therespective fixing portions 12 c, 13 c and 14 c cooperate withcorresponding receiving portion 13 d, 14 d, 15 d of the respectivecontracted segments 12, 13, 14, 15 of the segment unit 11 (FIGS. 4 and5).

The segment unit 11 in shown in the park position in FIG. 4 in acontracted position. In this case, all the intermediate segments 14, asdescribed briefly above, abut in a positive locking manner against oneanother/in one another and in/against the fixing segment 15. The tiltsegment 13 in the park position contacts the top tilt portion 12 b ofthe fixing device 12 by way of its top contact portion 13 b.

The contracted state of the segment unit 11 is brought about bytensioning the pulling elements 16, 17 which are located one above theother and are, for example, chains. A respective end of the pullingelements 16, 17 is pivotally mounted in the fixing device 12 of the teatcup 4 and a respective other end of the pulling elements 16, 17 isguided into the housing 9 by means of the fixing element 15 andconnected to a tilt lever 18 in the housing 9.

A drive device 19, which is connected to the tilt lever 18 by way of adrive rod 20, is also arranged in the housing 9. In addition, a tiltdrive 21 with a tilt rod 22 is attached below the drive device 19.

The tilt lever 18 includes a tilt portion 18 a and a pulling portion 18b. Between said portions 18 a and 18 b, the tilt lever 18 is connectedto an end of the drive rod 20 of the drive device 19 in a tilt axis 18 cso as to be pivotable about the same. The drive device 19 is, forexample, a pneumatic cylinder, just as the tilt drive.

Below the tilt axis 18 c, the end of the first pulling element 16 ispivotally mounted in a coupling 18 e on the top region of the pullingportion 18 b of the tilt lever 18 and the end of the second pullingelement 17 is pivotally mounted in a coupling 18 d on the top end of thetilt portion 18 a.

The pulling portion 18 b of the tilt lever 18 is provided to the side ofthe tilt drive 21 with a pressure portion 18 f which is provided forcooperation with the end of the tilt rod 22 of the tilt drive 21.

To contract the segment unit 11, the drive rod 20 of the drive device 19is pulled into the same, the tilt lever 18 pulling the pulling elements16, 17, which are pivotally mounted thereon, in the direction of thehousing 9 and the fixing device 12 and the segments 13, 14 and 15 beingpulled together into one another. In this case, the teat cup 4 isinitially moved into a perpendicular position which forms thepositioning position, which is shown in FIG. 6. In this connection, thebottom portions of the fixing device 12 and of the tilt segment 13 areengaged and in contact.

To assume the park position, the tilt lever 18 is pivoted by the tiltdrive 21 about the tilt axis 18 c by the tilt drive 21 moving the tiltrod 22 out in the direction toward the tilt lever 18 and the tilt rod 22in contact with the pressure portion 18 f pivoting the tilt lever 18.The effect of this is that the second top pulling element 17 is pulledby the tilt portion 18 a, which is pivoted clockwise, further in thedirection of the housing 9 and pivots the teat cup 4 correspondingly outof the almost perpendicular positioning position into the park position,which is shown almost horizontal but can also be a position which isinclined with respect to the perpendicular. At the same time, thebottom, first pulling element 16 is lengthened somewhat in order toenable the teat cup 4 to pivot. The length between the coupling 18 e andthe tilt axis 18 c, in this case, is clearly less than that of thelength between the tilt axis 18 c and the coupling 18 d of the toppulling element 17. The associated ratio is approximately 1:3.

If the teat cup 4 is connected to an associated teat of the udder of theanimal to be milked in the positioning position according to FIG. 6, themilking position according to FIG. 5 is thus assumed by the drive piston20 of the drive device 21 being extended in the direction of the teatcup 4. In this case, the pulling elements 16, 17 are lengthened andslackened such that the fixing device 12 and the segments 13, 14 and 15no longer contact one another and rest loosely on the pulling elements16, 17. This results in free mobility of the teat cup 4.

In the milking position, the teat cups 4 are suspended in each case froma teat of the udder of the animal to be milked. In this case, thepulling elements 16, 17 which are slackened or loosened in this manner,also make it possible in the milking position for the other teat cups 4to have a lateral freedom of movement for approaching and positioning.

If the milk flow of one teat is exhausted, and the teat cup 4 is to beremoved from said teat out of the milking position, the drive device 19moves the tilt lever 18 in the direction away from the teat cup 4, asresult of which the pulling elements 16, 17 are shortened between theteat cup 4 and the fixing segment 15. As a result the teat cup 4 ispulled downward and by means of the intermediate segments 14, the fixingdevice 12 and the fixing segment 15 is moved into the fixed,perpendicular positioning position again. This is also effected if theteat cup 4 is trailing, is out of line or has fallen off.

FIG. 7 shows a schematic perspective view of a second exemplaryembodiment of the milking cluster 2. Three teat cup units 10′ are shownin the positioning position and one teat cup unit 10″ is shown in thepark position, this is effected for reasons of clarity in the drawing.FIGS. 8, 8 a and 8 b show schematic views of the second exemplaryembodiment according to FIG. 7, FIG. 8 showing a side view, FIG. 8 a afront view and FIG. 8 b a top view of the milking cluster 2.

The second exemplary embodiment differs from the first exemplaryembodiment in the structure of the segment unit 11′ of the pullingelement arrangement.

Instead of the tilt segment 13 of the first exemplary embodiment (FIGS.4 to 6), the segment unit 11′ has a cover segment 23 which is arrangedbetween the first intermediate segment 14′ and the fixing device 12′ ofthe teat cup 4. The fixing device 12′, in this case, does not have anybevels.

The segment unit 11′ has pulling elements 16′ which are arranged side byside and are guided inside the fixing device 12′ and the segments 14′,15′.

The respective housing 9 of each teat cup unit 10, 10′ is provided inthe direction of the teat cup 4 with a carrying piece 25 which isarranged below the segment unit 11′. The length of the carrying piece 25is dimensioned, for example, in such a manner that a large part of theintermediate segments 14′, in the example shown all of the intermediatesegments 14′, rest on said carrying piece. In addition, in this case thecarrying piece 25 also has lateral guides.

The cover segment 23 is connected to a cover 24. The cover 24 has coverarms 24 a which are connected to the cover segment 23 and to a cover cap24 b. The cover segment 23 is described in more detail below.

In the positioning position of the teat cup unit 10′, the cover segment23 is fixed between the intermediate segments 14′ and the fixing device12′, the cover 24 being arranged above the segment unit 11′ and the head5 of the teat cup 4 being uncovered.

In the park position of the teat cup unit 10, the cover segment 23, withthe slackened pulling elements 16′, is no longer fixed but rests on thetop surface of the fixing device 12′ in such a manner that the cover cap24 b of the cover 24 closes the head 5 on its top surface and its teatopening. In this case, the cover arms 24 a extend approximately parallelto a longitudinal axis of the teat cup 4.

The park position is described further in conjunction with FIGS. 9 and10. FIG. 9 shows a schematic longitudinal sectional view along the lineIX from FIG. 8 b and FIG. 10 illustrates an enlarged sectional view ofthe region X from FIG. 9.

FIG. 9 shows the teat cup unit 10″ in the park position. A drive device19′ with a drive rod 20′ is arranged inside the housing 9. The drive rod20′ is connected to the side-by-side pulling elements 16′, only one ofwhich is shown in this case. The pulling elements 16′ extend inside thesegments 15′, 14′ and 23. The other respective end of a pulling element16′ is fastened on an entrainment means 26. In the park position shown,the pulling elements 16′ are slackened. The intermediate segments 14′are supported and held by the carrying piece 25, the teat cups 4 movingdownward by means of gravitational force. In this case, the coversegment 23 is entrained into the position shown and already mentionedabove. The cover cap 24 b of the cover 24 covers the teat opening on thehead 5 of the teat cup 4.

Each entrainment means 26 on the respective end of the pulling elements16′ is pivotably mounted by way of its other end, which is not connectedto the respective pulling element 16′, on the fixing device 12′ of theteat cup 4 by means of a pivot bolt 28 so as to be pivotable. The coversegment 23 can move axially with respect to the entrainment means 26which are arranged in its interior. Said movement, however, isrestricted as the cover segment 23 is fixedly connected to a stop pin27, which extends through elongate holes 26 a of the entrainment means26.

FIG. 9 a shows a further schematic longitudinal sectional view along theline IX from FIG. 8 b with a variation of the second exemplaryembodiment according to FIG. 7. Unlike the view according to FIG. 9, acoupling element 3 b is provided for coupling the milking cluster 2 in aflexible manner to a support arm device or a robot arm. The couplingelement 3 b has a first fastening portion 3 c for fastening on thesupport arm device or the robot arm. The first fastening portion 3 c isconnected by means of an angled web portion 3 d to a second fasteningportion 3 e, by means of which the coupling element 3 b is fastened onthe milking cluster 2, for example on the housing 9 thereof. Thefastening of the fastening portions 3 c and 3 e can be effected, forexample, by means of screws or rivets. Welding or designing the couplingelement 3 b integrally with the housing 9 can also be conceivable.

The coupling element 3 b enables the milking cluster to be attached in aflexible manner on the support arm device or the robot arm. It can beproduced, for example, from a spring material for this purpose. It isalso possible for it to be a combination of fixed fastening portions 3 cand 3 e and an elastic, flexible web portion 3 d. Other flexible designsare easily imaginable.

As a result of the flexible coupling element 3 b, a type of kick guardis formed. This means that there is an elastic resilience between themilking cluster 2 and the support arm device or robot arm in the case ofimpacts such as, for example, can occur as a result of kicks of ananimal to be milked.

FIG. 11 illustrates a schematic longitudinal sectional view of thepositioning position along the line XI from FIG. 8 b, and FIG. 12 showsa sectional view of the region XI from FIG. 11, enlarged compared toFIG. 11.

If the drive device 19′ is then actuated such that the drive rod 20′ ispulled in, the pulling elements 16′ are also pulled in and the segmentunit 11 contracted. In this case, its segments 15′ and 14′ and also thecover segment 23 as well as the fixing device 12′ of the teat cup 4 comeinto contact and interlock by way of their guide portions andcorresponding receiving means. The teat cup 4, in this case, is pulledup out of the park position and is held in an almost perpendicularposition in the positioning position. When the cover segment 23 engageswith the other segments in this manner, the cover 24, which is fixedlyconnected to the cover segment 23, is pivoted away from the teat cup 4and its head 5 with the teat opening is free.

Through the defined axial movement possibility of the cover segment 23compared to the entrainment means 26, the cover segment 23 can be movedwith its guide portion 23 c into the conical receiving means 14′c of theadjacent intermediate segment 14′ by means of the pulling elements 16′,which is illustrated in FIG. 12.

During the positioning operation of the teat cups 4 onto the teats of anudder of an animal to be milked, at the start of moving the milkingcluster 2 up perpendicularly in the direction of the udder, the teatcups 4 which are not positioned are released from their positioningposition and are consequently left in the park position. Only the teatcup 4 which is to be positioned remains fixed (by the retracted drivedevice 19′ 20′) and consequently in the positioning position. Theadvantage of this is that teat cups that are not to be positioned do notpress into the udder (if several teat cups 4 are in the positioningposition, as is shown in FIG. 7, and are upright, this is unpleasant forthe animal to be milked, and as a result it is more fidgety, which canalso lead to residual impurities on the udder (e.g. straw) passing intothe teat cups 4 that are not to be positioned). So that the releasedteat cups 4 do not hang down too low in the park position andconsequently touch the ground, the carrying piece 25 is provided and thereleased intermediate segments 14′, 15′ rest in/on said carrying piece.

In the milking position, when the respective teat cup 4 is connected tothe respective teat, the pulling elements 16′ are also released by thedrive devices 19′. As a result, a lateral freedom of movement forapproaching and positioning is made possible for the other teat cups 4.

FIG. 13 shows a schematic perspective view of the cover segment 23 ofthe second exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 7.

The cover segment 23, as the intermediate segments 14′, consists of twocylindrical parts which rest side by side and are laterally connected.It can naturally also have other forms. In each case a pulling element16′ is guided through the inner bores, as can be seen from FIGS. 9 and11. The inner bores are provided with circumferential guide portions 23c on one side and with corresponding receiving portions 23 d (FIG. 10)on the other side.

In each case, an end of a cover arm 24 a of the cover 24 is attached onthe longitudinal sides of the cover segment 23 and is fixedly connectedto the cover segment 23. The cover arms 24 a extend parallel to oneanother in the longitudinal direction of the cover segment 23 and at theother ends are slightly raised upward and are connected to the cover cap24 b. The cover cap 24 b points upward in FIG. 13 and is rounded off.Its size corresponds to the size or the diameter of the head 5 of theteat cup 4 that it is to cover.

A bore is shown on the side of the cover segment 23 below the fasteningof the front cover arm 24 a, through which bore the stop pin 27 isintroduced for cooperation with the elongate holes 26 a of theentrainment means 22 during assembly.

FIG. 14 shows a schematic perspective view of the second exemplaryembodiment of the milking cluster 2 according to FIG. 7 in the milkingparlor 1 according to FIG. 1.

The carrier 3 with the milking cluster 2 is pivotably connected by meansof the fastening arm 3 a to a support device (not shown in any moredetail). The support arm device, automatically or actuated by a robotarm, can move the milking cluster 2 out of the position shown next tothe location of the animal to be milked under the animal in order toposition the teat cup units. It is possible to move the teat cup units10′ in the positioning position with the covers 24 pivoted-off in saidcommon positioning position, e.g. together, under a cleaning unit (notshown).

FIG. 15 shows a schematic perspective view of a third exemplaryembodiment of the milking cluster 2.

Unlike the second exemplary embodiment of the milking cluster 2, thethird exemplary embodiment has a pulling element arrangement with asegment unit 11′ without cover segments 23 and cover 24.

The fixing device 12′ is in direct contact with an intermediate segment14′.

One teat cup unit 100′ is in the positioning position and the otherthree teat cup units 100 are in the park position. With the pullingelements 16′ released (as shown in FIG. 7), the teat cup 4 is moved bymeans of gravitational force into the park position, some of theintermediate segments 14′ remaining supported by the carrying piece 25and some being moved downward by gravitational force on the pullingelements 16′ and coming to rest on the fixing device 12′ and on oneanother.

The coupling of the pulling elements 16′ by way of their ends iseffected in a simple manner, e.g. by means of tab-shaped couplings, onthe teat cup 4 on the fixing device 12′, as shown as an example in FIGS.11 and 12. Said tabs, however, do not have to be realized as entrainmentmeans with elongate holes. The important factor is a pivotable couplingof such tabs on the teat cup 4 or on the fixing device 12′, e.g. bymeans of a pivot bolt 28.

As the teat cup units 10, 100 are actuatable individually in all theexemplary embodiments, it is obviously possible for the milking clusters2 to be able to be used for milk-producing animals with less than fourteats, e.g. three. It is equally imaginable for a larger number to bepossible by means of a corresponding number of teat cup units 10, 100.

The pulling elements 16, 16′ and 17 can be realized as flexibleelements. They can also be chains which are connected in rows by meansof force-storing elements, e.g. tension springs.

1. A milking cluster for a milking parlor for milking milk-producing animals, the milking cluster comprising: a teat cup unit having a teat cup; a drive device; and a pulling element arrangement connected between the teat cup and the drive device, the pulling element arrangement including a segment unit and a plurality of pulling elements.
 2. The milking cluster of claim 1, wherein the teat cup unit is movable between a park position in which the teat cup assumes a position that is inclined with respect to the perpendicular, a positioning position in which the teat cup is in a substantially perpendicular position, and a milking position in which the teat cup is connected to an associated teat of the animal to be milked.
 3. The milking cluster of claim 1, wherein the segment unit comprises: a fixing device joined to the teat cup; a tilt segment adjacent to the fixing device; an intermediate segment; and a fixing segment, joined to a teat cup unit housing.
 4. The milking cluster of claim 3, wherein the fixing device further comprises: an inclined tilt portion, and the tilt segment has an inclined contact portion which bears against the inclined tilt portion when the teat cup unit is in a park position.
 5. The milking cluster of claim 1, wherein the at least two pulling elements of the pulling element arrangement are arranged one above the other.
 6. The milking cluster of claim 1, and further comprising: a tilt lever operatively connected between the drive device and the pulling elements; and a tilt drive operatively connected to the tilt lever.
 7. The milking cluster of claim 6, wherein the tilt lever is movable by the drive device into a first position in which the pulling elements are tensioned, and the segment unit is contracted to engage the teat cup in a positioning position, and the tilt lever is movable by the drive device into a second position in which the at least two pulling elements are slackened, to move the teat cup into a milking position.
 8. The milking cluster of claim 6, wherein the segment unit comprises: a fixing device joined to the teat cup and having an inclined tilt portion; a tilt segment adjacent to the fixing device and having an inclined contact portion which bears against the inclined tilt portion when the teat cup unit is in a park position; an intermediate segment; and a fixing segment, joined to a housing; wherein the tilt lever is pivotable about a tilt axis to a first position by the tilt drive and into a pivot position in which at least one of the pulling elements is shortened and another pulling element is lengthened, wherein the inclined tilt portion of the fixing device and the inclined contact portion of the tilt segment are engaged and the teat cup is pivoted into a park position which is inclined with respect to perpendicular.
 9. The milking cluster of claim 1, wherein the teat cup unit is movable between a park position, a positioning position, and a milking position in which the teat cup is connected to an associated teat of the animal to be milked.
 10. The milking cluster of claim 1, wherein the segment unit comprises: a fixing device fixed to the teat cup; a cover segment; an intermediate segment; and a fixing segment fixed to a housing.
 11. The milking cluster of claim 10, wherein the cover segment is joined to a cover.
 12. The milking cluster of claim 1, and further comprising: a head defining a teat opening to the teat cup; and a cover cap for covering the head in a park position.
 13. The milking cluster of claim 12, and further comprising: a cover segment defining an entrainment slot, and a stop pin pivotably connected to the teat cup and slidably disposed in the entrainment slot.
 14. The milking cluster of claim 1, wherein the segment unit comprises: a fixing device fixed to the teat cup; an intermediate segment; and a fixing segment fixed to a housing.
 15. The milking cluster of claim 1, and further comprising: a carrier piece joined to the teat cup unit on which an intermediate segment rests.
 16. The milking cluster of claim 1, wherein at least two pulling elements of the pulling element arrangement are arranged side by side.
 17. The milking cluster of claim 1, wherein at least two of the pulling elements of the pulling element arrangement are operatively connected to the drive device.
 18. The milking cluster of claim 17, wherein: the at least two pulling elements are movable by the drive device into a first position in which they are tensioned, the segment unit is contracted, and the teat cup is in a positioning position; and the at least two pulling elements are movable by the drive device into a second position in which they are slackened and the teat cup is moved by gravitational force into a park position or a milking position.
 19. A milking parlor for milking milk-producing animals, the milking parlor having a milking cluster comprising: a teat cup unit having a teat cup; a drive device; and a pulling element arrangement connected between the teat cup and the drive device, the pulling element arrangement including a segment unit and a plurality of pulling elements.
 20. The milking parlor of claim 19, wherein the milking cluster is attached to a support arm device.
 21. The milking parlor of claim 20, wherein the milking cluster is attached in a flexible manner to the support arm device.
 22. The milking parlor of claim 19, wherein the milking cluster is attached to a robot arm.
 23. The milking parlor of claim 22, wherein the milking cluster is attached in a flexible manner to the robot arm.
 24. A method for positioning a milking cluster for attachment to the teats of a milk-producing animal, the milking cluster having: a teat cup unit having a teat cup; a drive device; and a pulling element arrangement connected between the teat cup and the drive device, the pulling element arrangement including a segment unit and a plurality of pulling elements; and the method comprises the steps of: moving the milking cluster upward in the direction of a dairy animal udder; moving individual teat cups of the milking cluster which are not positioned on corresponding dairy animal teats to a positioning position; and moving teat cups that are not attached to corresponding dairy animal teats into a park position. 